Memphis and Cincinnati to Big 12?

Collegiate Sports
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[quote=“NinerAdvocate, post:20, topic:29218”][quote=“NinerWupAss, post:19, topic:29218”][quote=“NinerAdvocate, post:18, topic:29218”]For arguments sake, we’ll call the East Coast league the American, and the Midwest league CUSA.

Here are the realigned leagues:

American

UConn
Temple
UMass (add all sports or none)
ODU
ECU
Charlotte
Marshall
MT
WKU
UCF
USF
FIU
FAU

In that scenario Umass is optional and/or a backup if UConn bolts for a better deal.

CUSA

Tulsa
SMU
Houston
UTEP
UTSA
North Texas
Rice
Tulane
La Tech
USM
BYU (possible)
NMSU (possible)

or grab a Florida School
or add UL-Lafayette

The Florida schools will possibly be contested, that is - if the leagues really want them for recruiting purposes. The leagues are flexible enough to allow for that, and though UCF and USF are stronger programs than either FxU, it’s not a deal breaker to split them up.

To me, this makes much more sense because it cuts travel time and expenses down significantly, and at least attempts to create some regional rivalries. UConn and BYU would be tough sells, but I think the rest of it is workable.

Thoughts?[/quote]

Was talking to NN about this at Triple C. This makes too much sense.[/quote]

I actually like it quite a bit too. The final alignments can be tinkered with, but the basic idea is so logical that it has to be done. It’s just stupid not to.[/quote]

They should do this, then add in some sort of OOC scheduling agreements and consider pitting football champions against each other. Could give them an upper hand in obtaining a spot in the playoffs.

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clt says this is why we didn’t finish painting the cusa logo on the field.

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[quote=“ninerID, post:5, topic:29218”]Geographically Marshall and Charlotte would make a lot of sense for the American.

I could see UCONN going to FCS football and joining the Big East. No conference is going to add them for football only, and independent FBS would be challenging.[/quote]

The MAC would probably consider. I don’t see a team that has been to a BCS bowl dropping to FCS.

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This could screw things up even more:

$200 Million stadium for a low end FBS team. Wow.

Its obviously a play for P5 inclusion (PAC-XX or B12).

Assuming it works, especially if the PAC goes to 16 by pilfering a couple of Big 12 programs, things could get really messy.

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If the Big 12 gets screwed tomorrow by the selection comittee I think you will see them make a move. That will prove to them they need a championship game.

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[quote=“NinerAdvocate, post:24, topic:29218”]This could screw things up even more:

http://kdvr.com/2014/12/05/colorado-state-board-approves-plans-for-on-campus-stadium/

$200 Million stadium for a low end FBS team. Wow.

Its obviously a play for P5 inclusion (PAC-XX or B12).

Assuming it works, especially if the PAC goes to 16 by pilfering a couple of Big 12 programs, things could get really messy.[/quote] :o

Jesus. I know the estimated cost for our expansion to 40,000 seats, suites, and a new press box was like $65 million, taking the total of our stadium just just a little over half that number. What the hell are they including to push the price that high?

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[quote=“NinerAdvocate, post:24, topic:29218”]This could screw things up even more:

$200 Million stadium for a low end FBS team. Wow.

Its obviously a play for P5 inclusion (PAC-XX or B12).

Assuming it works, especially if the PAC goes to 16 by pilfering a couple of Big 12 programs, things could get really messy.[/quote]

Advocate. I’m digging your conference alignment plan.

I’m wonder if the cost reductions would more than compensate for a slightly lower payout for example if a team moved from AAC to CUSA.

The big problem in my mind is going to be the TV contracts. Could those screw it up.

So what you said about CSU possibly going to Pac12 or B12. If they get poached can we assume that UTEP is gone or will the MW grab BYU?

Check out my idea for an expanded CUSA. Could this work?

Originally posted this on CUSA BBS

What if CUSA were to add 3 teams to take us to 16? Add Georgia southern, south Alabama and Arkansas state. That covers two new states and keeps Alabama in the fold.

Divide into 2 conferences of 8 with the Texas schools, Arkansas , LA Tech, Southern Miss and South Alabama in the west. The rest in the east. Play 7 division games and 1 out of division team on rotation in football.

In basketball play 14 games home and away against divisional foes and play 2 away and 2 home against 4 of the cross divisional teams on a rotating basis each year. Again this reduces travel costs immensely.

With this plan you would only have a total of 5 out of division trips in bball and football every 2 years! That saves a hell of a lot of time and money.

Both divisions have geographic outliers so it’s fair (1 in UTEP for the west and 2 in FAU and FIU for the east. The huge size of Texas makes up for the fact that the east has two outliers compared to the west)

Make similar arrangements in the other Olympic sports with the goal cost minimization across the board.

This would reduce travel costs tremendously for everyone which would probably more than make up for the smaller revenue slices.

In the future if everyone has to regionalize even further the divisions can split, add a couple of regional programs and keep traditions going.

On the cynical front it would also seriously weaken the Sun Belt. Not sure if that’s really what CUSA or the G5 needs (maybe better to have 5 thriving conferences than 4 thriving and one also ran) but I will leave that up to other people to debate.

Could this work?

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I agree. I also think there is a strong chance they make that move anyway. Like I said, I hope our administration has done their homework and is ready for any direct or indirect possibilities for us. A move to the AAC will be viewed as a step up in the eyes of the general public, even if Cincy and Memphis move to the Big 12. Most people have at least heard of the schools in the AAC.

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I agree. I also think there is a strong chance they make that move anyway. Like I said, I hope our administration has done their homework and is ready for any direct or indirect possibilities for us. A move to the AAC will be viewed as a step up in the eyes of the general public, even if Cincy and Memphis move to the Big 12. Most people have at least heard of the schools in the AAC.[/quote]

Oh No! There goes our locker rooms (unless we’re hiring TSA to check for spray pain)t. ;D

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I’m not sure why the Big 12 added WVU a few years ago because it is so far removed from the rest of the conference. Cincinnati is also about as far away. Seems like adding Colorado State to replace Colorado and adding a flagship school like New Mexico would make more geographic sense.

As for Charlotte our best hope is that Conference Realignment doesn’t happen again until our football team has experienced some success in FBS. The AAC will not be excited about inviting in an upstart program with a 15,000 seat stadium.

image.jpg1280×832 64.3 KB

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That’s why I asked the question yesterday speculating what would happen if the AAC invited us on the condition that we enlarge the stadium (along with putting more fans in the stadium).

I’m not saying I think this will happen and I haven’t heard any rumors. I’m just saying I hope we have looked at all possibilities and are ahead of the game enough to know what to expect. I feel if we were already drawing 25,000 or more a game and had a strong regional TV following, the AAC may be knocking at our door… or perhaps that’s those green tinted glasses I’ve been wearing for most of my life.

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Have you seen a Houston, Tulane, or Temple home game lately? Teams that have been around forever and still only putting 5K in stands.

If we could get 20K consistently, they would glad to have us start up or not.

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Just got an alert that Ohio state got in the playoffs. This is going to set off a firestorm in the big 12 and they will add two so they can have a championship game.

The realignment wars are getting ready to kick off again.

Do we have the pieces in place to move up!!!

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Big 12 got screwed with no conference championship game. Expect this to happen pretty quick.

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[quote=“Gassman, post:33, topic:29218”]Just got an alert that Ohio state got in the playoffs. This is going to set off a firestorm in the big 12 and they will add two so they can have a championship game.

The realignment wars are getting ready to kick off again.

Do we have the pieces in place to move up!!![/quote]

clt says, we have the pieces.

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[font=arial][size=2]Big12 Commish: “If we know we’re going to be disadvantaged by not having a post-season game, we certainly need to think about it.”[/size][/font]

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Agree the power base in B12 will be highly pissed about this. Expect something within a few months. They probably have been contingency planning and this exclusion is going to take care of all the naysayers.

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[quote=“cltniners, post:35, topic:29218”][quote=“Gassman, post:33, topic:29218”]Just got an alert that Ohio state got in the playoffs. This is going to set off a firestorm in the big 12 and they will add two so they can have a championship game.

The realignment wars are getting ready to kick off again.

Do we have the pieces in place to move up!!![/quote]

clt says, we have the pieces.[/quote]

I believe a key piece will be what ECU wants. If they want an instate foe that will be a huge factor for us.

Haven’t they been positive on conference affiliation with us in the past??

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[quote=“Gassman, post:38, topic:29218”][quote=“cltniners, post:35, topic:29218”][quote=“Gassman, post:33, topic:29218”]Just got an alert that Ohio state got in the playoffs. This is going to set off a firestorm in the big 12 and they will add two so they can have a championship game.

The realignment wars are getting ready to kick off again.

Do we have the pieces in place to move up!!![/quote]

clt says, we have the pieces.[/quote]

I believe a key piece will be what ECU wants. If they want an instate foe that will be a huge factor for us.

Haven’t they been positive on conference affiliation with us in the past??[/quote]new ad now. Possible he doesn’t want to have in state rivals like Holland did.

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Boise State and BYU are better programs than Cincinatti and Memphis, but there are other factors which may help a team like Memphis (like the Fed Ex CEO or BYU wanting to stay independent). I could also see Colorado State and Tulsa being possible targets.

Things are certainly going to get interesting. Our basketball program could end up benefiting from this if we somehow end up back in a conference with UConn, Temple, etc. I really don’t see that happening though. I also really would like but could never see allFBS programs into 10 or so equal as possible geographically centered conferences.